Tuesday, 24 November 2015

How can Effective Test Planning help Increase Productivity?

The quality and user experience
of a software application determine its popularity and profitable. So
enterprises nowadays test their applications thoroughly to accomplish more
downloads and get higher returns. But the modern mobile apps need to deliver
quality user experience across many operating systems, devices and environment.
Also, the QA professionals often have to perform all tests within a shorter
amount of time.

That is why; it becomes essential
for enterprises to make testers more productive through effective test
planning. It is important for the project manager to make a comprehensive test
plan to convey the testing process and workflow to testing professionalsclearly.
The test plan will outline and keep track of the tests to be conducted, along
with ensuring that all functional and design requirements are met. At the same
time, it will also provide procedure for various tests, identify test methods
for each type of testing, and define the documentation process.

How Test Plans Help
Businesses to Make QA Professionals Productive?

Enhances Test Coverage

Nowadays testers have to test all
aspects of an application within a shorter amount of time. They further need to
conduct certain tests repeatedly to get more accurate test results. A comprehensive test plans clearly defines
the types of tests to be conducted. So the QA professionals can always refer to
the document to ensure all tests are covered, and all aspects of the
application are tested.

Provides an Organized Test Flow

The test plan further makes it
easier for testers to organize individual tests. They can refer to the
documents to get an insight into the software development process. Once they
understand overview of the product and its evolution, it becomes easier to
understand where the bugs are located. So they can easily assess the
application as an end user, and identify more bugs by following a proper test
flow.

Avoid

Duplication

Often QA professionals duplicate
certain tests due to inadequate information about the software and development
process. The test plan clearly defines the tests to be conducted, along with
keeping the tests organized. So the testers can always refer to the document to
avoid duplication. They can further coordinate with each other to gather
detailed information about bugs without performing the same tests again.

Unlike exploratory testing,
proper test planning helps QA professionals to identify all bugs or flaws in an
application. The test plan ensures that no aspect of the software remains
untested. So the QA professionals clearly understand the tests to be conducted.
They can simply refer to the plan and perform the tests in an organized way
without any confusion.

Keeps Testers Vigilant

A comprehensive test plan further
helps businesses to eliminate a process called tunnel vision. When a tester
spends too much time in testing specific aspects of an application, there are
chances that he may not remain vigilant. So he will surely fail to assess the
specific aspects of the software with a fresh mindset. The test case requires
QA professionals to perform tests in an organized way. So they have to
frequently switch from one testing process to another. The switching makes it
easier for the testers to identify bugs more efficiently.

Delivers Better Test Results

The test results help businesses
to take crucial decisions related to the software’s release. So the testers
have to present the test results in a structured way. In addition to helping
professionals to generate better test results, the test plan further makes the
test results more organized. As the tests are conducted according to specific
sections and builds, the test results can be easily attributed to the relevant
parts. The QA professionalscan further use color codes to make the results
more readable.

It is important for the manager
to keep the test plan dynamic and evolving. He
needs to ensure that the initial test plan remains abstract, while the final
test plan is concrete. The initial test
plan need not contain detailed or exact information about test cases. The project
manager has to keep refining and updating the high level test ideas included in
the initial test plan as the application development progresses.